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OPINION

Pediatrician: Legalizing pot risks our children's health

AZ I See It
Published 8:21 p.m. MT May 17, 2015

A recent New York Times editorial got it wrong. Despite its push for legalization, there’s no reason the feds should OK marijuana for recreational use when states are still experimenting with the consequences.(Photo: AP)

As a fourth-generation Arizonan, father, grandfather and 26 years as a practicing pediatrician, I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana in Arizona. The science and research show what serious detrimental, even dangerous, effects this would have on the youth of our state.

Data flowing in from states where legalization has occurred show an increase in marijuana use in adolescents, which happened after the laws passed but even before those laws took effect. The message sent to our youth is that marijuana is not harmful because adult voters would not legalize a dangerous drug. But that message does not square with reality.

New research shows that the young brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex responsible for controlling judgment and decision-making, is not fully developed until the mid-20s. Exposing this immature brain to marijuana has been demonstrated to cause short- and long-term severe changes in cerebral function.

— Alterations in motor control, coordination, judgment, reaction time and tracking ability, which may contribute to unintentional deaths and injuries, especially considering motor vehicle accidents if driving while intoxicated by marijuana.

Dr. Dale Guthrie of Gilbert is immediate past president of the Arizona Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics.(Photo: handout)

— Higher incidence of psychosis in youth who are predisposed to schizophrenia.

Perhaps more concerning are the brain consequences of long-term marijuana use:

— The younger an adolescent starts using marijuana, the brain is affected such that it is more likely long-term adult addiction will result.

— In a dose-dependent pattern, marijuana use lowers the odds of high school completion and increases the use of other illegal drugs and suicide attempts.

Even casual use of marijuana causes changes in brain shape, volume and density in regions responsible for motivation and emotion.

Persistent use of marijuana is associated with decline in neuropsychological function, which persists even after the drug is discontinued. The loss of an average 6 IQ points has been demonstrated in a long-term research study.

Our children's brains are too important to sacrifice for this experiment. I urge Arizonans to be vocal in their opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

Dr. Dale Guthrie of Gilbert is immediate past president of the Arizona Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics.